Top Tips for Providing Excellent Phone Customer Support

Customer service over the phone is a method in which you offer telephonic support to your customers. It enables real-time and voice-based communication between your customer and your support staff. To improve telephone support, your agents should answer calls quickly, listen patiently, speak in a confident tone, show empathy, and keep records of each conversation.

It’s the age of texts, DMs, and embedded messaging. But, where does the heart of your customers lie? Studies show that in this digital-first world, more than 50% of customers still prefer phone support.

Reasons? The human touch is what every one needs! The human voice provides:

• Clarity
• Reassurance
• Empathy
• Personalised assistance

These qualities are often missing in text-based communication. So, is your organisation providing professional telephone support? In this article, let’s study fifteen tips for providing exceptional customer service over the phone. But, firstly let’s begin with its meaning!

What Makes A Good Customer Service Call Over The Phone?

Usually, there are three key components of a good customer service call:

Did you know? Studies show that phone support and live chat service for websites have the highest customer satisfaction ratings, at 91% and 85% respectively. So, want your support team to handle customer concerns quickly and directly? The next section lists some proven tips they can follow!

15 Tips to Offer Excellent Customer Service Over The Phone in 2025

Studies show that about 89% of service representatives believe the phone will always be used for customer service. Whereas, about 76% prefer it for complex cases! Thus, we can say that customer on-phone support is here to stay!

Now, your agents should up their game by following these fifteen tips to offer professional customer service over the phone:

1. Answer Calls Quickly

Pick up the phone within 20 seconds, or a few rings. If customers wait too long, they may get upset or hang up! This can lead to losing business.

If you receive many calls, use tools like:

• Call queue 

• An IVR (Interactive Voice Response) system

These systems let you sort and direct calls to the right person or department.

2. Start the Call Professionally

Always begin the call by saying your company’s name. A short greeting and a clear introduction show that your business is organised and respectful.

Also, while delivering customer service over the phone, your agents should speak in a clear and polite tone. This approach lets the customer know they are ready to help!

3. Listen Carefully

Let the customer explain their issue completely before replying. Particularly, focus on:

• What they say
• How they say it
• What they might be feeling

This allows you to understand the real problem. Also, repeat key points to confirm you understood them correctly. For example, “So you’re saying…” or “Let me confirm I got this right…” 

This avoids confusion while offering customer service over the phone and makes the customer feel heard.

4. Speak Clearly and with Confidence

Talk at a steady speed and use simple language. Avoid technical terms unless the customer is familiar with them. Also, speak loud enough to be heard and make sure there is no background noise.

Always remember that a “confident tone” shows the customer on phone that:

• You understand their problem 

• Know how to handle it

5. Show That You Understand the Customer’s Feelings

If a customer is upset or confused, say something that shows you understand their emotions. For example, your agents can say:

• “I can see this has been frustrating” 

• “I’m sorry this happened. Let’s work on it” 

This shows the customer on the phone that you care about their situation (not just the problem). It calms them and makes it easier to resolve the issue.

6. Ask the Right Questions

While delivering customer service over the phone, start with asking open-ended questions. Say, “Can you explain what happened?”. Now, the customer can give full details. This allows you to understand the issue quickly. 

Next, when you need specific details (like an order number), use yes-or-no or short-answer questions. Also, don’t ask too many questions at once as it makes the customer feel uncomfortable. 

7. Stay Positive

When you talk to a customer:

• Stay calm
• Use polite and positive words (even if the customer is upset)
• Avoid saying things like “We can’t” or “This is not possible” 

This approach keeps the conversation moving in a better direction. Also, when your agents maintain a helpful and respectful tone, it shows the customer that:

• Your business takes their concerns seriously

• You are focused on solving their problems (not creating more issues).

8. Avoid Jargon

Don’t use technical words or business terms that customers may not understand. Most customers only want their problem solved. If you must mention a feature or service, explain it in simple words. 

For example, instead of saying “VoIP,” say, “This feature lets you take calls even when you’re not in the office.” 

By using simple language, your customers can:

• Follow the conversation
• Understand the solution
• Feel more comfortable while speaking with your team

9. Take Responsibility

If there is a mistake from your side, accept it without trying to hide it. Say clearly what went wrong and that you are working to resolve it. 

For example, “I see that we missed something on our end. I’m sorry for the trouble. Let me fix it now.” Admitting an error while delivering customer service over the phone, shows honesty and builds trust.

10. Provide Clear Solutions

Once you understand the problem, explain what you will do to resolve it! Ideally, you should:

• Give simple steps and walk the customer through each one

• If there is more than one way to solve the issue, let the customer choose (after explaining the options)

Also, tell the customer on the phone, how long the solution may take. Always remember that clear answers avoid confusion.

11. Follow-Up After the Call

After solving the issue, contact the customer again to make sure everything is fine. This can be done by:

• Phone
• Email
• Text message

A follow-up shows you care about the customer, not just the problem! Also, checking back confirms that the customer is satisfied. Studies show that most customers remember when a business follows up. It usually leads to:

• More repeat business 

• Positive word-of-mouth

12. Keep Records of Customer Calls

Write down details of each customer call (cover the problem and what was done). This lets you or your team know what happened earlier if the customer calls again. Such a recording saves time because the customer doesn’t need to repeat everything!

Additionally, keeping records helps with:

• Training
• Quality checks
• Follow-ups

13. Use Call Summaries

At the end of each call, take a moment to repeat:

• What was the customer’s problem?

• What solution was agreed on?

This approach confirms that both sides understand the same thing. It also allows the customer to ask questions before ending the call (which reduces the chance of confusion later).

14. Balance Both Speed and Attention

Most customers do not like waiting or spending too much time on calls. Also, about 45% of consumers want their issues resolved in the first interaction.

Thus, while delivering customer service over the phone, you should:

• Start the conversation with a clear focus.
• Avoid unnecessary small talk.
• If a problem takes time to resolve, tell the customer how long it might take. 
• Be honest about delays.

But at the same time, do not rush the customer! Make sure they feel heard. The key here is to balance both speed and attention. 

15. Master Your Phone System

Train your agents on how to use all parts of your business phone system. They must know how to:

• Transfer calls
• Put someone on hold
• Set up three-way calls

This lets your team handle customer calls without mistakes or delays. To do so, you can start using a good phone system. Alternatively, you can avail of voice customer support services offered by leading agencies like Atidiv. Such outsourcing can even help you achieve up to 60% cost reductions compared to running in-house teams.

Customer Service Performance Benchmarks Your Team Can Follow in 2025

As per the industry standards, the basic goal across the industry is to answer 80% of all calls within 20 seconds. To enhance the efficiency of your agents, you can provide them with these established performance benchmarks:

Want to Delight Every Caller? Outsource Your Customer Support To Atidiv!

Customers still prefer hearing a real voice! Studies show that customer service over the phone still has the highest CSAT rate. This makes phone support a critical touchpoint! To improve, your agents can follow these tips:

• Active listening
• Minimum resolution time
• Avoiding jargons
• Keeping proper call records
• Making call follow-ups

Are you struggling to deliver memorable customer experiences? Outsource your customer support to a CX specialist like Atidiv! Our expert team offers:

• Omnichannel messaging solutions
• Voice customer care
• Social media support
• Live chat service for website
• Inbound and outbound call center services

Additionally, for inbound sales, Atidiv uses smart call routing and speech analytics. This ensures your customers can reach the right agent quickly!

Partner with Atidiv today and offer your customers exceptional customer service over the phone!

FAQs on Customer Service Over the Phone

1. Why do my customers hang up before speaking to an agent?

Customers usually hang up because of long wait times or unclear IVR menus. To resolve this problem:

• Instruct your agents to answer calls within 20 seconds

• Simplify your IVR system’s menu

Alternatively, you can consider outsourcing inbound and outbound voice support services ​to Atidiv. We offer 24/7 availability and faster response times.

2. How can I reduce repeat calls from the same customer?

Usually, repeat calls happen when your agents don’t fully understand the issue the first time. In such a case, you should focus on First Call Resolution (FCR). Train your agents to:

• Listen well
• Explain solutions clearly
• Follow up when needed

Also, try to keep call records. It lets you avoid repeated explanations.

3. My team struggles with high call volumes. What should I do?

High call volumes can overwhelm small teams. As a solution, you should scale by using call routing tools or outsourcing to a CX specialist like Atidiv. 

We provide exceptional customer service over the phone by using smart technology. Also, our trained agents can easily handle call volume spikes (without compromising quality).

4. What’s the best way to train my agents for better customer service over the phone?

You must train your agents to:

• Speak clearly
• Maintain a confident tone
• Listen actively
• Stay calm under pressure
• Use positive language

Also, teach them how to use your phone system. These efforts ensure your agents are always performing at their best!